Overhead garage door construction



July 26, 1938. w. E. BAGLEY ET AL 2,124,969

OVERHEAD GARAGE DOOR' CONSTRUCTION Filed March 25, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet lATTORNEY;

Jul 26, 1938. w. E. BAGLEYET AL 2,124,969

OVERHEAD GARAGE DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed March 25, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTORS. z; Wallace EBgg/gy ATTORNEY.

y 6, 1938. w. E. BAGLEY Er AL 2,124,969

OVERHEAD GARAGE DOORCONSTRUCTION Filed March 25, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTORS. Wallace [.Bg lgg ATTORNEY.

Ju y26, 1938. w. E. BAGLEY Er AL 2,124,969

, OVERHEAD GARAGE DOOR" CONSTRUCTION Filed March 25, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet4 INVENTORY. fiVaZ/are tTBgg/gy ATTORNEY.

Patented duly 26, 11938 UNITED STATES 2,124,969 ovnnnnan GARAGE noon.cons'ranorron Wallace E. Baglcy, Glenside, and Harry H. Bartel,Philadelphia, Pa.,

assignors to Huclr- Gerhardt Oompany, Ina, Philadelphia, Pa. ApplicationMarch 25, 1936, Serial No. W336 2 Ulaims.

towards the door frame, when the door reaches itsclosed position, one ofsaid closing devices being capable of being locked for holding all theclosing devices in closed position.

Another object of the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of a manually operated closing device with automatic closingdevices, whereby a more eiiective closing action is accomplished betweenthe door panels and the door frame.

A feature of the invention resides in a design of closing device thatwill assure full eifective movement of the panels into closing positionwith the door frame but will readily compensate for any irregularitiesin construction or irregularities in the closing movements of the doorpanels when in use.

Another feature of the invention resides in the use of closing devicesthat will move the door panels horizontally towards the door frame andcapable .of coaction with other; types of closing devices that arecapable of giving horizontal and vertical movements to the door panelsto assure tight closing of the panels against the door frame,

and tight closing of the panels against the ground or base of the doorframe. v

Besides the above, the invention is distinguished in the specificdetails of construction of the various parts of the door structure,whereby the cost of manufacture is materially reduced while at the sametime adding to the eiliciency f the door construction as a unit.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be betterunderstood from the i01 lowing detailed description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a'perspective view of the overhea door construction.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of one of the cam plates.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of the hinge construction.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the hinge construction. Figure 8 is aperspective view of one of the hinge plates. Figure 9 is a perspectiveview of the other hinge plate.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of one of the locking bolts.

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view through the manually operatedclosing device.

Figure 12 is a cross sectional view of a part of the manually operatedclosing device.

Figure. 13 is a front elevation of the keeper plate.

Figure 14 is an edge elevation of the keeper plate and associatedelements.

Figure 15 is a detail sectional view through the keeper plate andassociated elements.

Figure 16 is a detail sectional view of the inclined portion of thetrack.

Figure 17 is a detail view of the closing device of the upper panel ofthe door.

Again referring to the drawings, illustrating one of the manyconstructions of the invention, the numeral i designates a door frame ofa garage, or any other suitable enclosure, and this frame 0 rests upon aground base 2.

Associated with the door frame I is the improved door construction,including a door 3, which consists of a plurality of hingedly connectedpanels d, the number of panels depending upon the area of the openingformed by the door frame I. These panels are provided with overlappingflanges la at their abutting edges and, further, the abutting edges ofthe panels are hingedly connected together by the improved type of hingeillustrated in Figures 6 to 9 inclusive. The hinge is so constructed astoperform the dual function of a hinge and a guide device for the doorpanels. To accomplish this dual result, the hinge consists of a pair ofmetal plates 5 and 6, the former hereinafter identified as the upperplate, and the latter as the lower plate, although a it is to .beunderstood that this relation of the plates may be reversed. I

The plate 5 is stamped to provide a slot 1 defining a pair of sidestrips 8 and 9 which are rolled back upon themselves to form ears l0 andII. The plate 6 is stamped and out along the lines l2 and Hi to providethe end strips I 4 and I5 and the intermediate strip IS. Theintermediate strip is rolled back upon itself to form a cylindrical earI L which is adapted to be arranged in the slot l of plate 5 and alignedwith ears l0 and II to receive the pintle I8 of the-v hinge, therebyforming a. hinge connection between the upper body of the plate 6. Thebearings 23 are formed by rolling back the extreme end portions of thestrips l4 and I5. These bearings or tubular members 23 have relativelysmooth interior sur- 5 faces so as to allow the free rotation of theshaft 2| journalled therein, which shaft is capable of longitudinalshiftable movement in the bearings. Mounted upon one end of the shaft 2|is a roller 22 adapted to travel in the trackway hereinafter described.

The improved hinge device is connected to a pair of adjacent panels sothat the panels may swing relative to each other for the purposehereinafter set forth.

Secured to the door frame is a supporting frame 23 which, in turn,supports a pair of tracks 24 and 25, each shaped and constructed to havea lower vertically inclined portion 26; a vertical straight portion 21,a continuation of the portion 26; an intermediate curved portion 23, acontinuation of the straight portion 21; and a horizontal portion 23, acontinuation of the curved portion 28. These tracks are further providedwith flanges 33 and 3| having a guiding engagement with the rollers 22of the various hinges.

Associated with the upper panel 32 of the set /of panels is an automaticclosing device 33 and associated with the bottom panel 34 is anautomatic closing device 35. The intermediate panels 36 and 31 areassociated with automatic closing devices 33 and 33 while theintermediate panel 43 is associated with a manually operated closingdevice 4|.

The automatic closing device 33 consists of a clip 42 directly bolted orsecured to the panel 32 and this clip supports a roller 43 guided by theflanges 3| and 33. Due to the length of the clip 42, and the position ofthe roller 43, the roller 43 will have a cam action with the curvedportion 40 28 of the track when the panel 32 approaches its closedposition. ,As a result, the panel 32 is wedged towards the frame I forassuring the effective closing of the upper portion of the door.

The automatic closing device 36 also consists of a clip 44 carrying aroller 45 that is positioned to have a wedging action with the inclinedpor-- tion 26 of the track when the bottom panel 34 reaches its closedposition and, as a result, this panel 34 is forced towards the frame I.Each of the automatic closing devices 33 and 33 consists of a bracket 46secured to an intermediate panel, the bracket terminating in a sleeve 41in which is mounted a pin 43 adapted to have cam action with a camfinger 43 projectportion of the track. Contiguous 'to the cam finger 43,the plate isprovlded with a recess 5| in which the-pin 43 is adapted tobe lodged after it has been guided into the recess by the cam action ofthe cam finger 43; It will benoted from the drawings that the brackets46 extend lipwardly at a slanted angle from the door, and it will beunderstood that due to the lengthof said brackets, the pins 43 areyieldably carried with respect to the cooperating cam plates 63 so thateach pin 43 resiliently coacts with the cam finger 43 and contiguousrecess 5| of the corresponding cam plate to urge the associated doorpanel towards the door frame with a yieldable force. This coactionbetween the pin and the cam finger properly forces the door panelstowards the door frame and when this is accomplished, the panels arelocked in such position due to the coactionof the walls of the recess 5|ing from the cam plate 53 secured to the vertical with the pin 43. Toassure pr p l? coaction between the cam finger 43, the pin 43, and thewalls of the recess 5|, the plate is provided with slots 52 in which aremounted bolts 53 that are also mounted in slots 54 in the supportingframe 23. Attention is called to the fact that the slots 52 arehorizontally disposed, whereas the slots 54 are vertically disposed,thereby enabling the plate to have horizontal and vertical adjustments.

The manually operated locking device 4| consists of a pair of lockingbolts 55, one for each vertical edge of the door and each having adouble cam action with the tracks so that the set of door panels may begiven horizontal and vertical movements in the actuation of the lockingdevice 4|. Each bolt 55 directly coacts with a keeper plate 56 providedwith horizontally disposed slots 51 in which are mounted clamping bolts58 that are in turn mounted in vertical slots 53 formed in thesupporting frame 23.

Each track is provided with an opening 63 registering with the opening6| in the keeper plate. The horizontal wall 62, and the vertical wall 63of the keeper plate opening 6| are so disposed when the bolts 58 areproperly adjusted in the slots 51 and 59, that they will have thedesired cam action with the horizontal cam face 64 and the vertical camface 65 of the bolts.

The coaction between the walls 62 and 63 and the cam faces 64 and 65 issuch that the door panels are simultaneously given movements in twodirections, that is, horizontally and vertically, to bring about a tightfitting action between the panels and the door frame and between thelower edge of the bottom panel 34 and the ground base 2.

For the purpose of giving the desired sliding movements to the bolts 55,there is provided an actuator 66 consisting of a link 61 having pivotalconnections 63 with rods 63 that are connected to the bolts, the rodsbeing slidably mounted'in the guide bearings 13 arranged contiguous tothe keeper plates 56. The link 61 is mounted upon a shaft 1| that,.inturn, has secured thereto an interior handle 12 and an exterior handle13 for the manual operation thereof. The link 61 is further providedwith notches 14 adjustably related with the latch 15'. of any suitableform of lock 16. Due to the arrangement and construction of the notchesand their coaction with the latch 15, the bolts may be effectivelylocked in any of their adjusted positions, thereby compensating for anyirregularities in construction or sliding movements of the door in theuse thereof.

To complete the invention, there is provided a, lifting mechanism 11consisting of cables 13 secured to the door panels and travelling overpulleys 13 with one of the pulleys connected to one end of a coii spring3|, the other end of which is'secured to a portion of the supportingframe 23. In the installation of the door, the rollers 23 arearranged'to' travel between the flanges 33 and 3| of the pair of tracksso that the panels may be flexed relative to each other and caused totravel vertically and horizontally. In the movement of the door panelstowards closing position, the wedging action between the closing devices35 and the inclined portion of the tracks 26 will force the door panel34, or the lower portion of the door, into tight engagement with thedoor frame. As this action is taking place, the pins 43 are beingsubjected to a cam action due to their engagement with the cam fingers43 which also forces the door or door panels towards the door frame Iand conjointly with this action, the

, '2,124,oeo

closing devices 33 are having'a cam action with the curved portion ofthe tracks for forcing the upper panel 32 or upper portion of the doortowards the frame I. Thus .it will beappreciated that the panels areautomatically moved into engagement with the door frame. I

As a final operation and, further, to assure the tight engagement of thepanels with the frame through the action of the automatic closing de-.vices, the manually operated closing device M is actuated, which gives afurther movement of the panels towards the door frame and, further,gives a, movement of the panels downwardly to assure tight engagement ofthe lower edge of the door with the ground base and a final engagementof the panels with the door frame i.

This manual actuation of the closing device I draws the pins 48 intofinal tight engagement with the walls of the recess 5! and, further,draws the rollers of the closing devices 33 and 35 into tight wedgingaction with the cam surfaces of the tracks. As the manually operateddevice ll is capable of being locked, it will be appreciated that thelocking device 5| performs the triple function 'of' giving horizontaland vertical movements to the door and locking the door panels invertical and horizontal adjusted positions.

To facilitate proper coaction between the panels in the operation of thevarious types of closing gressively into engagement therewith, that isto say, the uppermost panel moving into closing contact with the doorframe; immediately thereafter, the intermediate panels moving intoclosing contact with the door frame; and finally, the

lower panel moving into closing contact with the door frame; or, thisaction may be reversed, with the lower panel first contacting with thedoor frame, then the intermediate panels, and finally the uppermostpanel.

or course, it is to be understood that the details of construction ofthe various parts may be changed without departing from the spirit ofthe invention and, therefore, we do not wish to be limited in protectionexcept as set forth in the following claims:

What we claim is: 1. A door structure of the character describedcomprising in combination: a door-frame extending vertically from theground; an overhead door movable to an initial closing position and thento a final closing position towards the door frame and towards theground, said door consisting of a central panel, intermediate panels, alower panel, and an upper panel respectively hinged together; guide'tracks for the door panels each including a lower inclined portionconverging towards the door frame, an intermediate straight verticalportionextending in and disposed for riding engagement with said tracksto guide the door to its initial closing position, certain of saidrollers being disposed at the bottom section of the lower panel forcontact with the inclined portion of the tracks, and others of saidrollers being arranged at the top section of the upper panel for contactwith the curved portion of the tracks when the door reaches its initialclosing position; cam plates arranged in spaced relation along thevertical portion of the tracks; closing elements yieldably carried bythe intermediate panels and adapted to engage said cam plates when thedoorreaches its initial closing position; and a device mountedon thecentral panel and having a double cam action with said tracks whereby toforce said central panel against the' door frame and, at the same time,urge the door as a' whole towards the ground, thereby drawing thementioned rolland curved portions of the tracks for forcing the door andupper panels against the door frame and simultaneously drawing theclosing elements into wedging engagement with said cam-plates forforcing the intermediate panels against the door frame, thus moving thedoor to its final closing position.

2. A door structure of the character described comprising incombination: a door frame extending vertically from the ground; anoverhead door movable to an initial closing position and then to a finalclosing position towards the door frame and towards the ground, saiddoor, consisting of a central panel, intermediate panels, a lower panel,and an upper panel respectively hinged together; guide tracks for thedoor panels including a lower inclined portion converging.

towards'the door frame, an intermediate straight vertical portionextending in paralleling relation to the door frame, and an upper curvedportion directed away from the door frame; rollers fixed to the panelsand disposed for riding engagement with said tracks to guide the door toits initial closing position, certain of said rollers being disposed atthe bottom section of-the lower panel for contact with the inclinedportion of the tracks, and others of said rollers being arranged at thetop section of the upper panel for con tact with the curved portion ofthe tracks when the door reaches its initial closing position; camplates arranged in spaced relation along a vertical portion of thetracks and mounted for vertical and horizontal adjustment thereon;closing elements yieldably aflixed to the intermediate panels andadapted to engage said cam plates when the door reaches its initialclosing posi- ,tion; and a device mounted on the central panel andhaving an adjustable double cam action with said tracks, whereby toforce said central panel against the door frame and, at the same time,urge the door, as a whole towards the ground, thereby drawing thementioned rollers into wedging engagement with the inclined and curvedportions of the tracks for forcing the door and upper panels against thedoor frame and simultaneously drawing the closing elements into wedgingengagement with said' cam plates for forcing the intermediate panelsagainst the door frame, thus moving the door to its final closingposition. V WALLACE E. BAGLEY. HARRY H. BARTEL.

